Decision details

All planning applications for Fulbourn considered by the Planning Committee since May 2003. For individual reports, please click on the “Meetings” tab above. For further details on all Fulbourn planning applications, please visit our Planning Applications Database and select Fulbourn from the drop-down list of parishes.

By unanimous vote, the Planning Committee refused the application contrary to the recommendation in the report from the Joint Director of Planning and Economic Development. Members agreed that the reasons for refusal were:

Design

The proposed development, by virtue of the scale and siting of the two and a half storey apartment buildings located centrally within the site and within a key view north through the site across Poor Well and along the chalk stream towards the open countryside beyond, would result in significant harm to the character and appearance of the area and significantly erode the existing wide open view and green space, which provided a positive connection between the existing village and adjacent countryside.

Furthermore, the adverse visual impact of the apartment buildings was exacerbated by virtue of the buildings being sited on raised platforms, which would increase ground levels by up to a further 900mm above existing, enhancing the adverse prominence and dominance of the central apartment buildings within the site and within views from the surrounding area, creating a scale of development that was out of keeping with the character of the area.

The proposal was therefore contrary to Policy HQ/1 of the South Cambridgeshire Local Plan 2018 and paragraph 130 of the National Planning Policy Framework 2021, which required developments to be of high quality design, to be compatible with its location in terms of scale and appearance and to make a positive contribution to its local and wider context and the Fulbourn Village Design Guide Supplementary Planning Document 2020, in particular guidance notes 10.3, 10.10, 10.12 and Figure 46 of the Guide, which sought in Section 10 to integrate larger developments within the village.

Drainage

Insufficient information had been submitted to demonstrate that the reserved matters scheme can provide a satisfactory scheme of surface water drainage and prevent the increased risk of flooding. The proposal was therefore contrary to Policies CC/7, CC/8 and CC/9 of the South Cambridgeshire Local Plan 2018 and paragraph 167 of the National Planning Policy Framework 2021 which require development proposals to incorporate appropriate sustainable surface water drainage systems and to ensure that flood risk is not increased elsewhere.

Biodiversity

The reserved matters scheme failed to provide a measurable net gain in biodiversity. The proposal was therefore contrary to Policies HQ/1(m) and NH/4 of the South Cambridgeshire Local Plan 2018 and paragraphs 174 and 180 of the National Planning Policy Framework 2021 which require development proposals to aim to maintain, enhance, restore or add to biodiversity and minimise the impacts on, and providing net gains for, biodiversity.

Affordable Housing

The reserved matters scheme, by virtue of the proposed layout, failed to adequately distribute affordable properties throughout the site and to integrate those units appropriately with the market housing. The proposal was therefore contrary to Policy H/10 of the South Cambridgeshire Local Plan 2018 and the Greater Cambridge Housing Strategy 2019-2023 which sought to provide affordable housing in small groups or clusters distributed through the site.